Late Nights in the Library: Meeting Students on Their TermsPosted on December 29, 2014 by Josh KingcadeNow, we should never encourage procrastination. Nor should we commend the practice of cramming in library late nights right before a paper deadline. But often, faculty expect students to make time only during the day (AKA: during our office hours). Normally, this is reasonable. But when do you think students are doing most of their work on their papers? (When did you do most of your work on your papers?) It’s at night, when they can focus more, and yet faculty are nowhere to be seen. I’ll bet if you surveyed your students, over eighty percent of work on term papers is done during the evenings on the week the paper is due.If your students are doing their work in the evenings leading up to the due date, why not be available to help them then?
Learning to Fish: Part 3—Methods for Teaching MethodsPosted on December 23, 2014 by David RhoadsJust as our scholarly use of new methods can open vistas of interpretation for scholars, my students were awakening to ways of studying the Bible that were wholly new to them. Even more delightful was when students employing a method that had never been applied to the text they were studying. In those cases, they are on the cutting edge of biblical scholarship—not just in doctoral courses but also in college electives and seminary classes, even survey courses….
Using Wikis Well: Preparation, Implementation, and Engagement (2 of 2)Posted on December 19, 2014 by Brad AndersonIn my previous post I explored how wikis can be a helpful tool in fostering interest in and engagement with the study of the Bible. You might be wondering how much work is involved in the use of wikis, and how such a tool can be integrated into the learning experience. With this in mind I want to highlight a few issues that need to be kept in mind if wikis are to be used well.One of the first things to consider is how a wiki will fit into the larger framework of your class….
The End of (Classroom) Empire(s)Posted on December 16, 2014 by Nathan LoewenAfter reflecting on my own teaching as well as that of others, I don’t see much difference between the one-room schoolhouse and the college classroom. The basic form is often the same: one person teaching a multitude of learners. Even when a so-called “guide on the side” replaces “the sage on the stage,” not much changes. The paradigm of remains that of the teacher as sovereign of the classroom whose tribute is paid to the local institutional empire. I think this age of empire is nearing its end….
Wikis: A Tool for Fostering Interest and Engagement in Biblical Studies (1 of 2)Posted on December 12, 2014 by Brad AndersonMany of us who teach the Bible, particularly in undergraduate liberal arts settings, experience something that resembles culture shock early in our careers. Coming from programs where we specialize in our subject areas alongside other highly motivated and interested friends and colleagues, first attempts at teaching biblical studies to those with little interest in or knowledge of the Bible is a daunting, sometimes disorienting, task. Like many others, I’ve had innumerable experiences of being overcome by dread with the recognition that what I’m teaching simply is not connecting….